Two-tongue buckle assembly

ABSTRACT

A two-tongue buckle assembly including a housing into which first and second tongues may be inserted. A first latch means including an elongated latch bar is biased upwardly by a spring toward the latched position and is movable downwardly by a pushbutton to the unlatched position to coact with the first tongue when inserted thereinto to retain the first tongue in the latched position. A second latch means is included and comprising a support member rotatably connected to the housing and having an arcuate upturned flange on one end for abutting engagement with the first tongue and having a movable latch member supported by a resilient leaf spring at the other end. The resiliently supported latch member is moved by the support member into the path of the second tongue by the first tongue being inserted into the housing and engaging the upturned flange of the support member to rotate the support member so that the latch member movably supported thereon is in the path of the second tongue for latching engagement therewith. The second tongue is therefore retained in the latched position only when the first tongue is inserted into the housing and into the latched position.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Thomas E. Lohr Warren, Mich.

121] App]. No. 886,306

[22] Filed Dec. 18, 1969 [4S] Patented July 13, 1971 [73] AssigneeAllled Chemical Corporation New York, N.Y.

[54] TWO-TONGUE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY 389; 24/205.l7, 201 D, 75, 211 M, 230 R,230 A,

230 AL, 230 AV, 23o AK [56] Relerences Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS3,106,004 [0/1963 Davis 24005.17

3,451,720 6/1969 Makinen. 3,491,414 1/1970 Stolfel.....

Primary Examiner Doanld A. Griffin Attorney-Barnard, McGlynn & ReisingABSTRACT: A two-tongue buckle assembly including a housing into whichfirst and second tongues may be inserted. A first latch means includingan elongated latch bar is biased upwardly by a spring toward the latchedposition and is movable downwardly by a pushbutton to the unlatchedposition to coact with the first tongue when inserted thereinto toretain the first tongue in the latched position. A second latch means isincluded and comprising a support member rotatably connected to thehousing and having an arcuate upturned flange on one end for abuttingengagement with the first tongue and having a movable latch membersupported by a resilient leaf spring at the other end. The resilientlysupported latch member is moved by the support member into the path ofthe second tongue by the first tongue being inserted into the housingand engaging the upturned flange of the support member to rotate thesupport member so that the latch member movably supported thereon is inthe path of the second tongue for latching engagement therewith. Thesecond tongue is therefore retained in the latched position only whenthe first tongue is inserted into the housing and into the latchedposition.

PATENTED JUL 1 31971 M06217 I TORNW TWO-TONGUE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY Thisinvention relates to seat belts for vehicle occupantrestraining systems.One well-known type of restraining system is one including a lap beltincluding two seat belts which are connected together through a tongueand buckle and including a shoulder strap with the end thereof connectedto the lap belt adjacent the buckle and tongue. There are various priorart assemblies wherein a buckle is connected to the end of one of thelap belts and receives a torque from the other lap belt as well asanother tongue attached to the end of the shoulder strap. One of theproblems with such assemblies is that the tongue on the shoulder strapmay be inserted into the buckle and latched without the tongue on theother lap belt being inserted and latched to the buckle.

There have been assemblies developed which prevent the insertion of thetongue attached to the shoulder strap into the buckle assembly until thetongue attached to the other lap belt is inserted and latched to thebuckle assembly. The instant invention however solves the problem byproviding a buckle assembly which has a first latch means for latchingengagement with the first tongue connected to the lap belt and a secondlatch means which is movable into a latching position in the path ofinsertion of the second tongue attached to the shoulder strap only bythe insertion and latching of the first tongue attached to the lap belt.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to providesuch a buckle assembly wherein the second latch means cooperable withthe shoulder strap tongue is movable to a latching position in responseto positioning of the lap belt tongue in latching engagement with afirst latching means for receiving and retaining the shoulder straptongue in latching engagement therewith and which is movable to anonlatching position out of the path of the strap tongue in response tothe removal of the lap tongue from latching engagement with its latchingmeans, thus preventing latching engagement of the strap tongue unlessthe lap belt tongue is inserted and latched to the buckle.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference tothe following detailed description when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view partially broken away and in cross section of apreferred embodiment of the assembly of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 butshowing the assembly with neither the tongues in the latched position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary crosssectional view taken substantially alongline 4-4 ofFlG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross'sectional view taken substantially alongline 5-5 ofFIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, a preferred embodimentof the buckle assembly of the instant assembly is generally shown at 10.

The buckle assembly includes a first tongue 12 which is adapted by thehole 14 to be attached to a lap or seat belt.

There is also included a first latch means generally indicated at 16 forreceiving and retaining the first tongue 12 in latching engagementtherewith.

The assembly 10 also includes a second adapted by the hole the like.

The assembly 10 further includes second latch means generally indicatedat 22. The second latch means 22 is movable to a latching position asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in response to the positioning of the firsttongue 12 in latching engagement with the first latch means 16 forreceiving and retaining the second tongue 18 in latching engagementtongue 18 which is 20 to be attached to a shoulder strap or therewith asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The second latch means 22 is also movableto a nonlatching position illustrated in FIG. 3 out of the path of thesecond tongue 18 in response to the removal of the first tongue 12 fromlatching engagement with the first latching means 16 for preventinglatching engagement thereof with the second tongue 18.

The assembly includes a housing generally indicated at 24. The housing24 is preferably made of an integral metal member having a flange 26with a hole 28 in the flange for receiving a lap or seat belt. Thehousing 24 includes a first opening 27 for receiving the first tongue 12and a second opening 29 for receiving the second tongue 18. The housing24 has an integral top wall 30 and a bottom wall 32 which is defined bya cap or cover member secured to the integral remaining part of thehousing posts 34 inserted into holes 36.

The assembly 10 also includes a release means comprising the pushbutton38 disposed in an opening 40 in the top wall 30 of the housing.Pushbutton 38 moves the first latch means 16 to the release portion toallow the removal of the first tongue 12 in which in turn allowsmovement of the second latch means 22 to the nonlatching position inresponse to the removal of the first tongue 12.

The second latch means 22 includes a latch member 42 for latchingengagement with the second tongue 18 when in the latching position asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The second latch means 22 also includes amovable support means comprising the support member 44 and a resilientmeans or leaftype spring 46. The support means supports the latch member42 and is responsive to the first tongue 12 for moving the latch member42 to the latching position illustrated in FIG. 1.

The second latch means 22 further includes first biasing meanscomprising the spring 48 for moving the support means from the latchingposition illustrated in FIG. 1 to the nonlatching position illustratedin FIG. 3 in response to the removal of the first tongue 12. The leafspring 46 is riveted by the rivets 50 or the like to support member 44at one end and is attached to the latch member 42 at the other end asillustrated in FIG. 5 to resiliently support the latch member 42 on thesupport member 44.

The support member 44 is rotatably supported by the housing 24 formovement between the latching and nonlatching positions. The housing 24includes a boss 52 which is circular in cross section and which extendsthrough a circular aperture which extends through the support member 44.The support member 44 has first and second extremities and is rotatablyconnected to the housing through the boss 42 intermediate theextremities. The support member is a platelike member having an upturnedarcuate flange 54 at the first extremity which is engageable with thefirst tongue 12. The latch member 42 is movably supported by the supportmember 44 adjacent the second extremity thereof.

The housing 24 includes wall means 56 aligned with the first and secondopenings 27 and 29 for guiding the first and second tongues 12 and 18into the housing in respective paths of movement. The latch member 42 isdisposed out of the path of movement of the second tongue 18 when in thenonlatching position illustrated in FIG. 3. The latch member 42 has aninclined extremity or upper end 58 which falls away in the generaldirection of the second opening 29. The latch member 42 is a cylindricalmember slidably supported in a guide hole in the support member 44 by abushing 60. i

The second tongue 18 includes a head portion 62 followed by voids orrecesses 64. As the tongue 18 is inserted into the housing throughopening 29, the head 62 engages the inclined extremity 58 of the latchmember 42 to move the latch member 42 relative to the support member 44to a position out of the path of the second tongue 18 until one of thevoids 64 reaches the latch member 42 whereupon the latch member 42 movesinto the void 64 under the biasing of the resilient leaf-type spring 46and is in the latching engagement with the tongue 18 as illustrated inFIG. 1.

The torsion spring 48 is looped about the boss 52 and has one armthereof engaging the housing for urging the support member 44 to rotatein the counterclockwise direction from the latching position illustratedin FIG. 1 to the nonlatching position illustrated in FIG. 3.

The first latch means 16 includes a latch bar 70 guided by walls of thehousing for movement generally perpendicular to the top and bottom walls30 and 32 of the housing and perpendicular to the direction in which thefirst tongue 12 is inserted into the housing 24. The latch bar 70 ismovable between a latched position as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4wherein it is in latching engagement with the first tongue 12 and arelease position to allow the removal of the first tongue 12. The firstlatch means 16 also includes a second biasing means comprising springs72 for urging the latch bar 70 upwardly toward the latched position. Thespring 72 reacts between the bottom wall 32 and the bottom of the latchbar 70 through a washerlike retainer 74 which retains the spring 72 inengagement with the bottom of the latch bar 70. The pushbutton 38 isaccessible through the opening 40 in the top wall 30 of the housing andis connected to the latch bar 70.

The side or the top of the latch bar on which the pushbutton 38 ispositioned is defined by a central recessed channel 76 with an inclinedramp 78 extending upwardly on each side thereof and in a direction awayfrom the first opening 27. The latch bar 70 also includes a shoulderdisposed outwardly of each of the ramps 78 and the pushbutton isconnected to the latch bar at the shoulders by. way of a hole in eachshoulder into which pegs 82 from the pushbutton extend.

First tongue 12 has a head 84 and a shank 86 extending therefrom so thatas the first tongue 12 is inserted through the first opening 27 the head84 thereof engages the ramps 78 of the latch bar 70 to move the latchbar 70 downward toward the release portion until the head 84 passesthereover and the latch bar 70 moves to the latched position where thehead 84 is disposed behind the ramp and the shank 86 is disposed in thechannel 76 for retaining the tongue 12.

In the operation of the assembly, the first tongue 12 is inserted intothe opening 27 and into latched engagement with the latch bar 70 asdescribed immediately above. In so doing, the head 84 of the firsttongue 12 engages the arcuate upturned flange 54 of the support member44 to rotate the support member 44 from the nonlatching positionillustrated in FIG. 3 to the latching position illustrated in FIG. 1.Thereafter, the tongue 18 is inserted through the opening 29 and thehead 62 thereof engages the inclined upper extremity 58 of the latchmember 42 to move the latch member 42 downwardly. The latch member 42remains depressed downwardly against the action of the leaf-type spring46 until the void or recess 64 is disposed thereover whereupon the latchmember 42 moves upwardly under the action of the spring 46 to thelatched position in latching engagement with the tongue 18. To releasethe assembly, the pushbutton 38 is depressed to move the latch bar 70downwardly so that the first tongue 12 moves out through the opening 27.Upon outward movement of the tongue 12, which outward movement may beassisted by the biasing action of the spring 48 urging the supportmember 44 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the support member44 also moves to the nonlatching position moving the latch member 42 outof latching engagement with the second tongue 18 whereby the secondtongue 18 is free to move out of the housing 24.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which I claim an exclusive propertyor privilege are defined as follows:

1. A buckle assembly comprising; a first tongue, first latch means forreceiving an retaining said first tongue in latching engagementtherewith, a second tongue, second latch means movable to a latchingposition in response to the positioning of said first tongue in latchingengagement with said first latch means for receiving and retaining saidsecond tongue in latching engagement therewith and movable to anonlatching position out of the path of said second tongue in responseto the removal of said first tongue from said latching engagement withsaid first latching means for preventing latching engagement thereofwith said second tongue.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including release means formoving said first latch means to a release position to allow saidremoval of said first tongue and the movement of said second latch meansto said nonlatching position in response to said removal of said firsttongue.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second latch meansincludes a latch member for latching engagement with said second tonguewhen in said latching position, and movable support means supportingsaid latch member and responsive to said first tongue for moving saidlatch member to said latching position.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second latch meansfurther includes first biasing means for moving said support means fromsaid latching position to said nonlatching position in response to saidremoval of said first tongue.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said support meansincludes a support member and resilient means resiliently supportingsaid latch member on said support member.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said assembly includes ahousing having a first opening for receiving said first tongue and asecond opening for receiving said second tongue, said support memberbeing rotatably supported by said housing for movement between saidlatching and nonlatching positions.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said support member hasfirst and second extremities and is rotatably connected to said housingintermediate said extremities, said first extremity of said supportmember being engageable with said first tongue, said latch member beingmovably supported by said support member adjacent said second extremitythereof.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said housing includeswall means aligned with said first and second openings for guiding saidfirst and second tongues into said housing in paths of movement, saidlatch member being disposed out of the path of movement of said secondtongue when in said nonlatching position.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said latch member has aninclined extremity which falls away in the general direction of saidsecond opening, said second tongue includes a head portion followed byat least one void so that said head engages said inclined extremity ofsaid latch member as said second tongue is inserted intosaid housing tomove said latch member relative to said support member to a position outof the path of said second tongue until said void reaches said latchmember and said latch member is moved into said void by said resilientmeans whereby said latch member is in said latching engagement with saidsecond tongue.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 including release means formoving said first latch means to a release position to allow saidremoval of said first tongue and the movement of said support member andsaid latch member to said nonlatching position in response to saidremoval of said first tongue.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said support member isplatelike with an upturned arcuate flange defining said first extremityfor engaging said first tongue and has a guide hole therethroughadjacent said second extremity thereof, said latch member is slidablysupported in said guide hole, and resilient means comprises a leaf-typespring attached to said support member at one end and attached to saidlatch member at the other end, said support member includes a circularaperture therethrough and said housing includes a circular bossextending through said aperture for rotatably supporting said supportmember, said first biasing means comprises a torsion spring looped aboutsaid boss with one arm thereof engaging said support member and anotherarm thereof engaging said housing.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said housing has anoval configuration and includes means for attachment to a seat belt.

13. An assembly as set forth in claim wherein said first latch meansincludes a latch bar guided by said housing for movement generallyperpendicular the direction in which said first tongue is inserted intosaid housing and between a latched position in said latching engagementwith said first tongue and said release position to allow said removalof said first tongue, second biasing means for urging said latch bartoward said latched position, and wherein said release means includes apushbutton for moving said latch bar from said latched position to saidrelease position.

M. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said housing has a topwall and a bottom wall, said top wall having an opening thereinoverlying said pushbutton for access to said pushbutton, said secondbiasing means being disposed to react between said bottom wall and saidlatch bar, said pushbutton being connected to said latch bar.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the side of said latchbar on which said pushbutton is positioned is defined by a centralrecessed channel with an inclined ramp extending upwardly on each sidethereof and in a direction away from said first opening, said firsttongue having a head with a shank extending therefrom so that said firsttongue may be inserted through said first opening to engage said headthereof with said ramps to move said latch bar toward said releaseposition until said head passes thereover and said latch bar moves tosaid latched position where said head is disposed behind said ramps andsaid shank is disposed in said channels.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said latch bar includesa shoulder outwardly of each of said ramps and said pushbutton isconnected to said latch bar at said shoulders.

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said shoulderon said latch bar has a hole therein and said pushbutton has a pegextending into each of said holes.

1. A buckle assembly comprising; a first tongue, first latch means forreceiving an retaining said first tongue in latching engagementtherewith, a second tongue, second latch means movable to a latchingposition in response to the positioning of said first tongue in latchingengagement with said first latch means for receiving and retaining saidsecond tongue in latching engagement therewith and movable to anonlatching position out of the path of said second tongue in responseto the removal of said first tongue from said latching engagement withsaid first latching means for preventing latching engagement thereofwith said second tongue.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1including release means for moving said first latch means to a releaseposition to allow said removal of said first tongue and the movement ofsaid second latch means to said nonlatching position in response to saidremoval of said first tongue.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1wherein said second latch means includes a latch member for latchingengagement with said second tongue when in said latching position, andmovable support means supporting said latch member and responsive tosaid first tongue for moving said latch member to said latchingposition.
 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said secondlatch means further includes first biasing means for moving said supportmeans from said latching position to said nonlatching position inresponse to said removal of said first tongue.
 5. An assembly as setforth in claim 4 wherein said support means includes a support memberand resilient means resiliently supporting said latch member on saidsupport member.
 6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidassembly includes a housing having a first opening for receiving saidfirst tongue and a second opening for receiving said second tongue, saidsupport member being rotatably supported by said housing for movementbetween said latching and nonlatching positions.
 7. An assembly as setforth in claim 6 Wherein said support member has first and secondextremities and is rotatably connected to said housing intermediate saidextremities, said first extremity of said support member beingengageable with said first tongue, said latch member being movablysupported by said support member adjacent said second extremity thereof.8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said housing includeswall means aligned with said first and second openings for guiding saidfirst and second tongues into said housing in paths of movement, saidlatch member being disposed out of the path of movement of said secondtongue when in said nonlatching position.
 9. An assembly as set forth inclaim 8 wherein said latch member has an inclined extremity which fallsaway in the general direction of said second opening, said second tongueincludes a head portion followed by at least one void so that said headengages said inclined extremity of said latch member as said secondtongue is inserted into said housing to move said latch member relativeto said support member to a position out of the path of said secondtongue until said void reaches said latch member and said latch memberis moved into said void by said resilient means whereby said latchmember is in said latching engagement with said second tongue.
 10. Anassembly as set forth in claim 9 including release means for moving saidfirst latch means to a release position to allow said removal of saidfirst tongue and the movement of said support member and said latchmember to said nonlatching position in response to said removal of saidfirst tongue.
 11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein saidsupport member is platelike with an upturned arcuate flange definingsaid first extremity for engaging said first tongue and has a guide holetherethrough adjacent said second extremity thereof, said latch memberis slidably supported in said guide hole, and resilient means comprisesa leaf-type spring attached to said support member at one end andattached to said latch member at the other end, said support memberincludes a circular aperture therethrough and said housing includes acircular boss extending through said aperture for rotatably supportingsaid support member, said first biasing means comprises a torsion springlooped about said boss with one arm thereof engaging said support memberand another arm thereof engaging said housing.
 12. An assembly as setforth in claim 11 wherein said housing has an oval configuration andincludes means for attachment to a seat belt.
 13. An assembly as setforth in claim 10 wherein said first latch means includes a latch barguided by said housing for movement generally perpendicular thedirection in which said first tongue is inserted into said housing andbetween a latched position in said latching engagement with said firsttongue and said release position to allow said removal of said firsttongue, second biasing means for urging said latch bar toward saidlatched position, and wherein said release means includes a pushbuttonfor moving said latch bar from said latched position to said releaseposition.
 14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said housinghas a top wall and a bottom wall, said top wall having an openingtherein overlying said pushbutton for access to said pushbutton, saidsecond biasing means being disposed to react between said bottom walland said latch bar, said pushbutton being connected to said latch bar.15. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the side of said latchbar on which said pushbutton is positioned is defined by a centralrecessed channel with an inclined ramp extending upwardly on each sidethereof and in a direction away from said first opening, said firsttongue having a head with a shank extending therefrom so that said firsttongue may be inserted through said first opening to engage said headthereof with said ramps to move said latch bar toward said releaseposition until said head passes thereover and said latch bar moveS tosaid latched position where said head is disposed behind said ramps andsaid shank is disposed in said channels.
 16. An assembly as set forth inclaim 15 wherein said latch bar includes a shoulder outwardly of each ofsaid ramps and said pushbutton is connected to said latch bar at saidshoulders.
 17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of saidshoulder on said latch bar has a hole therein and said pushbutton has apeg extending into each of said holes.